The Boatman
by Adian
Summary: Inspired by CYN. I was supposed to be writing a mythology paper and this is what happened. This was my very first story. It is also the third incarnation of the story...I think.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Boatman

Title: The Boatman  
Author: Adian  
Email:   
Rating: TEEN  
Category: M/L  
Disclaimer: Characters created by Melinda Metz/ Jason Katims (I only own the characters I create.)

Summary: Inspired by CYN. I was supposed to be writing a mythology paper and this is what happened. This was my very first story. It is also the third incarnation of the story...I think.

_Whoever said it was better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all was obviously a moron. __**I loved. I lost.**__ How is it better? Now I know what I have lost. I know I'll never feel alive again. I know I'll never be whole. I ache for him. Never again will I feel his touch. His arms will never hold me in the only home I've ever wanted._

There is just a gaping hole where he used to live in me. What is left withered and died. I willingly destroyed his innocence, his love. I extinguished the light in his amber gaze. I found my soul only to destroy it. How can a person live without a soul? The living dead I've become.

I was shot. I died. He healed me. I've lived on borrowed time long enough. The boatman has arrived. It is time to pay the boatman. I cross his palm with silver.

Three…..

Two…..

One.  



	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Boatman

Max watches the remnants of his family. _How can I keep the rest of my family safe? Or together? Some leader I am I don't know what to do. I don't know how to make us a family again. In my heart I know his death was related to us in some way. The humans haven't blamed us but the distance is growing with the silence._

How do I break the silence? Isabel has withdrawn from everyone blaming herself. Kyle says nothing but avoids us like the plague. Michael is ragged from fear and frustration waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maria is the only one who cries but now with fear in her eyes.

Liz is dead inside. All I can see in her eyes is defeat and resignation. She seems to be waiting for the inevitable. I just don't know what it is. I want to talk to her but I don't know how. She stonewalls better than Michael just going through the motions never saying a word. 

Michael constantly scans the horizon lending half an ear to Max's droning. _Why does Max continue to torture us like this? Maria and I hold onto each other never wanting to let go. Only Maria's soft cries break the silence. Isabel leans against the same rock looking into the sky for answers she will never find. Tess doesn't really care but "comforts" and "encourages" Max to be the leader._

Liz stands on the edge of the cliff looking at the water. She always keeps her back turned to us. Liz is rigid in her stance never betraying a flicker of movement at anything said. She knows something but won't speak a word. 

Leaning against a rock Isabel stares into a clear blue sky tuning out Max's speculations. _Another endless meeting at the cliffs dwelling on Alex's death - was it an accident or not. It is all Max seems to think about. I want to know if Alex knew how much I truly loved him. He saw through the façade and loved me unconditionally. I was so scared I didn't know how to love. I pushed him away I hurt him so many times. I regret the time I wasted because of fear. I never expected to receive the one thing I craved and feared the most…love.  
_

Deciding the meeting was going nowhere Michael says, "Max I think we've had enough for today let's go home." I help Maria to stand. I need to get her out of here. In the background I can hear Max calling Liz's name. She stands there ignoring him.

Maria whispers, "Something's wrong." She begins to move towards her.

Maria calls out, "Lizzie?"

_The cliff where all hope died. I listen to the wind blow. Ravens cry my name. _

I follow Maria. Liz's stillness unnerves me. Maria calls out again, "Liz!"

_The summons has arrived. Silver in hand I become one with the wind waiting for the water's sweet kiss._

Everything appears in slow motion. Liz dives off the cliff. I run as if I could catch her. Her name echoes through my mind with everyone's cries. I stand at the cliff's edge helpless watching her in a perfect swan dive.

_The cliff where all hope died. I listen to the wind blow carrying the raven's cries._


	3. Chapter 3

Title: The Boatman

_Desolation-  
an unleveling field of black  
against this I stand to be judged.  
Can my soul carry this burden?  
Will I forgive  
be forgiven?  
Will the scale rise or fall  
either desire or despair  
will result upon the weight of a  
heart against a feather  
_

Michael yells, "She stopped falling! She's hovering over the water somehow!"

Max is already running down the cliffside. As I scramble down I watch Liz's progress as she slowly floats towards the shore.

Maria and I stop abruptly behind Max. A man stands before us with his arm stretched out. Liz is floating towards him. Max starts to move toward them but I stop him. He looks at me questioningly but stands still. Liz reaches the shore and starts screaming.

Liz runs at the man who saved her. She slams her fists against his chest. "Damn you Max! I've done everything you've wanted. I AM NOT doing anymore! I gave up everything for you my future, my happiness, my sanity, my husband. Alex died because of the choices WE MADE! Why couldn't you just let me die? I was supposed to die not Alex."

"I wish you had never saved me. I'm tired of living. I just want to be at peace. Please Max; let me be at peace that's all I want." Liz stops speaking falling to the ground sobbing. The man kneels and gathers Liz into his arms.

White with fear Max says, "Maria she's calling that man Max but I'm right here. Who is this guy and what has he made Liz do?"

Maria answers, "You are looking at a future version of yourself." Seeing the confusion in their faces she explains, "Remember when Liz warned you about the granolith? It is because it can be used as a time machine."

Astonished Max asks, "Maria how do you know this?"

"Because this isn't his first visit."

Isabel cuts in "Why does she think she is responsible for Alex's death?"

"Liz made a decision to change the future to save your lives. She paid a heavy price for you to live. In the other timeline Alex was still alive. Liz feels responsible because the choice she made killed Alex. The guilt has been eating her alive."

Stunned Max asks, "Maria what did she do to change the future?"

"I can't tell you. I don't know what affect it will have. Liz will tell you if you are allowed to know."

Angry Michael demands, "What do you mean allowed to know? It's our future we have the right to know!"

Desolate Maria says, "Michael, no one should know their future look what it has driven Liz to."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: The Boatman

_Can my soul carry this burden?  
Will I forgive  
be forgiven?  
_

Liz asks, "Why are you back?"

Future Max answers, "We just figured out how to use the granolith as a time machine again. I had to come back to save you and Alex."

Softly Liz says, "What if I don't want to be saved? I'm not supposed to be alive now. I've been living on borrowed time and the price I've paid for your actions has been too high. The pain is too much to bear. Max let me go!"

"I can't let you go. How could I give up part of my soul? I drove you to this. I've never forgiven myself for losing the one person who made it all worthwhile. Maria brought me back from the brink of insanity by letting me read your journal. I began searching for Serena. I knew we could find a way to come back and stop you. I was almost too late. My heart stopped for a second time watching you fall."

"I asked too much of you. I put you through so much pain. Let me show you what your death did to us. Please Liz! If you still want to die after I will not stop you."

I can't speak I can only nod. His strong hand gently cups my face. I never thought to feel his touch again. I stare into his loving eyes opening our connection for the first time in months. I'm overwhelmed by the depth of emotion as images fly by.

_Me jumping off the cliff…Funeral…white roses…Anguish…Anger…Guilt…Madness _

_Reading my journal…Disbelief that I could love him that much…Awe at my courage and strength to do it all alone _

_Our marriage…hatred for Future Max…hatred for himself…the utter horror at having killed his soul mate  
_  
He let's me see how the future unfolds without me. He then gives me the choice.

_The cliff where all hope died. I listen to the wind blow. The ravens no longer cry my name. _


	5. Chapter 5

Title: The Boatman

I realize I have to change the future again. I have to be apart of it. I turn to my friends with renewed purpose and hope in the future. Maria runs into my arms. We hug each other fiercely. She breaks down in my arms. I try to soothe her letting her know everything is going to be all right.

Michael and Iz come and join our hug fest. They hold onto me so tightly. Maria and Isabel cry and scold me.

Michael lifts my chin up staring into my eyes and says, "Never again Parker do you understand me?"

In tears I nod. The emotion in his eyes stuns me. Until that moment I had not realized I had gained a brother.

Future Max calls Tess to his side leaving Max to stand alone in confused relief.

Wary Tess hesitates until Future Max says, "Come here and let me see my beautiful young bride. To see you so young again and full of life without the burdens now hanging over us is a joy."

Tess is exultant. _I knew Max and I were destined to be together and this proves it! He loves me. He is seeing it with his own eyes. He can deny me no longer. He is MINE! His arms are wide open waiting for me his love!  
_  
Tess walks into Future Max's arms. He holds her close. She is beaming with victory.

Listening to Future Max talk to Tess the hug fest breaks apart in shock. Maria, Michael, Isabel and Max look at Future Max and Tess in confusion. I throw a large rock at her back and Tess becomes dust.

_The dust floats on the wind. Clearing the cliff where all hope died. For once the Boatman calls he cannot be denied. _


	6. Chapter 6

Title: The Boatman

While everyone else gasps I smile in satisfaction. The traitorous bitch from hell has been destroyed. The future begins again with a blank slate.

Stunned Michael asks, "How did you know she was a skin?"

Future Max explains, "Khivar planted Tess to divide and conquer from the inside. She got her hooks in my mind the night of the Kyle incident. I was devastated and not paying attention. Tess planted fake memories for us to remember together."

Future Max turns me around to face him. "Beloved, she used the mind warp on you. She was deliberately trying to drive you insane. The whole pregnancy was a sham. I never slept with her she just made me believe I did. Ye gods did she succeed. I couldn't protect you. I couldn't even protect myself at that point. Tess was extremely successful in her mission. We lost our trust and faith in each other as individuals and as a family."

"There are some things I have to tell you for me to finish my mission. First beloved you must tell them of my other visit. Second Ava must be found to complete the Four-Square. She is trustworthy and she can help you hone your powers. Third Nicholas has Alex in Oregon. I have given Liz the details. Khivar will not arrive for another six weeks. Khivar is planning on inhabiting Alex's body so he is safe until Khivar arrives. As a precaution have Ava check Alex's mind to be sure Nicholas hasn't all ready done anything."

"Most importantly Liz is the Queen. She has been and will always be our anchor. Her position is in the center. If you look at the drawings of the Four-Square all power emanates from the center. I know she has the capability of magnifying individual powers and the Four-Square. In our research we haven't been able to find anything else about her position."

"The eight of you are a complete unit balancing human and alien. Keeping the balance is the only way to succeed. You each play a vital role alien or human. Maria is the heart, Kyle the balance, Alex the strategist, and Valenti the protector."

"I have given you all that I can to rectify the future as I know it. The future of two worlds now lies on your shoulders." Future Max starts to shimmer. He cries, "Beloved," and disappears.

Finis


End file.
